Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 45, Number 153, Decatur, Adams County, 30 June 1947 — Page 1

■TxIV. No. 153.

•RESIDENT SIGNS RENT CONTROL BILL

■lilical Levee Hr Mississippi Lrcbles Today I Three Main Levees ■ Withstand Sharp I Earthquake Today June <l'P)~The o t three critical levees ■KL aa.l withstood one of 'he «ar b'l'iakes in 'he S'. ■ history, todav erum the highest floor! on KHT river in 103 years IK), corp* of engineers said (■, Chouteau Island levee near City. Hl broke at 8:30 |f[lTl because Its Soggy was unable to with pressure of the creating |K. The break sent water o'er 2.000 acres of land was no imme liate dan K io Granite City. engineers said the embank _, t Dupo, 111, and the long ■K'.ft.lj dike south of Chester. BHI r,re Still holding but It was HLstionable whether they would ® -.nu.- to hold bark the river SWiil three of the levees were IHtojen by 'he earthquake last that rocked the area se T!ie engineers said, how gKer. the Chouteau Island break due entirely to water pres and that none of the dikes Kt damage.) by the tremor. gM[e Ross It Heinrich, assistan’ |Kmmologi>t at St. Louis Uni |Knity. said the quake was the ever recorded on the - seismograph since i' tKx installed in 1910. It began Mill 2."> I'. p. iu. CDT. BRdnrbli said It apparently near Waterloo, 111 The ■felt shock, nt seconds of sever, mentions, was followed by 1' of lesser tremors and ■fen mother eight minutes of that cauld be detected ■Ny by a seismograph. ■ Hooding of the Chouteau Is■nd area sent water over the ■rfroacbes of Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi an.' ■breed its dosing. The Lewis He! Clark bridge at Alton, ill had been closed. Foil, ■tt-r highway spans across th. ■trnm remained open. ■ ioae of the weary workers H*bo lost their fight to keep the ■toueaii Island embankment In ■ft were moved back to the ■■stated Chouteau. Natneokl ■M Venice levees in the same ■tar. ■ others were aped by truck to ■* critical dike at Dupo which ■Fleets the sprawling main of the Missouri Paclfli ■hilroad I Io St. Ijouls the rising water y w * f wd most of the area east of Bfcrth Broadway ami at one point B*Sfbed half a mile Into the city B close the 3200 block of Rroa I ■»»y to traffic. JThe shock made tall buildings ■**»y In downtown St. Louis. ■ •••ny burgler alarms were set ■*J as windows crashed under ■•be vibration. ■ Highway patrolmen said the ■Wake was felt strongly at Kirk ■•“>d. Mo., 15 miles southwest of ■b»r». Authorities at Scott Field. |m 20 miles east of the Missis ■ •PPI. said the tremor was felt ■ ‘•’iTe but caused no damage |MSidents of Staunton. 111., also |wlt the shock. The quake struck I**‘■tdfineers called on every ableI Mie I man to help save levees ■ •loog a 150-mile stretch of river I bout. || It wan felt by thousands of Itvrsona who had thronged to the I fiver to view the flood damage |Wd watch workers attempting to | ,,0 P Its rise with sandbags. I About 30,000 persons were |*®»less in five states as result * Hoods today. About 5.000 ad Jtiooal had returned to their *” n ''* since Friday as tributar- ** of the Mississippi began to all from record highs which * r **ked an estimated 1250.000.T «rn To Pace t. Column 6) — 0 WEATHER •bowers and thunderstorms fooiffht, beginning northwest wetion late this afternoon, tearing northwest early Tuesand remainder of state by Tu *sdsy afternoon. Somewhat c *o*er Tueoday,

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

15 Violent Deaths Reported In Stale Heavy Death Toll Is Taken Over Weekend By United Press At least 15 persons were killed In accidents in Indiana during the weekend. Seven were traffic victims., three persons drowned, one was killed In an alrplanp accident two died in a railroad accident, a small child suffocated in a fire, and a woman was shot to death A 46-year-old Wisconsin woman was killed instantly Saturday when the car she was driving went out of control and rolled over several limes near Plymouth. She wat .Mrs. Anna Faustenback of Medford, Wls. Her husband. Nicholas. 59, and her 13 year old son. Thomas, were injured, while three other persons escaped injury. Mrs. Lavana Pigeon was killed and two others injured in an automobile truck collision near Anderson Injured were her husband. John, and Mary (kuver, another passenger m th. car. Herbert Giltner. 25. of Madi son was killed Sat unlay when struck by a truck at Bedford Odes A. Spears. 28, Indianapo Ila. died Saturday of injuries suf sered when his automobile struck a tractor trailer unit near Columbus and skidded into another automobile. Dale Weaver. 21. Terre Haute was killed and three other per sons Injured In a head on colli slon on U. S. 4o near Terr. Haute. The car Weaver was driving clashed Into another driven by Fred V. Adams. 41. Marshall. 111., police said. A I ams. a brother. John Adams, and Maurice Turner, a passenger in Weaver's car. suffered seven lacerations. A truck-auto collision neat Peru Saturday resulted in the death of Howard N. Shively. 6-1. ,f Amboy. He died Sunday in Dukes memorial hospital, Peru His wife. Goldie. 62. was injured as was Benjamin Crandall. 29: of Milwaukee, driver of th* truck. • As a state trooper hurrle I from the scene of a drowning (Tunrn T.> fag.- 2. ' '«lumn 21 ■ — QCharlotte Eickhoff Dies Saturday Night Funeral Services Tuesday Afternoon Mrs. Charlotte Eickhoff. 85. lifelong resident of Preble town ship, died at 11:30 p. m. Saturday at her home three and one fourth miles north ami one-half mile west of Preble. Death was attributed to senility. She had been ailing for six months and bedfast for three weeks. She was born in Preble town ship January 18. 1862. a daughter of Ernst and Charlotte BuuckStoppenliagen. Her husband. Christ Eickhoff. died April '• 1932. She was a memlter of 'he Zion Lutheran church at Friedlteim. Surviving are three daughters Miss Clara Eickhoff. at home Mrs. Amelia Bultemeler and Mrs. Rosina Korte, both <» f J r, *‘’ township, and two grandchildren. One son preceded her In ■ Mrs. Eickhoff was the * ur ' vlvor of a family of 11 childrenFuneral services will be held at 2 It. nt. Tuesday at the home and" at 2:30 o'clock at the Zon Lutheran church in It"'' With the Rev. E T. fechm Id ke officiating. Burial will be In * church cemetery. The sn y was returned from the Zwick funeral home to the residence Sunday evening. Chamber Os Commerce Meeting Here Tonight The quarterly ® wnb^ P J r * , f Ing of the Oeca'ur Chamber or Commerce will be held tonight at 8 o'clock at the cou.trooms in county courthouse. New by-laws will be adopted at the meeting and all metnbens are urged to attend.

Army Engineers Help Eight Fl<mml Menace

® '•-A* $ ' ' ■ lgj|ra' bEmEI ATI K> &J - '. ■•.’w' ; .\._ PiShJW'

WITH THE MISSISSIPPI river are south of St. Louis declared in critical situation: over Ibo million dollars in damage to crops and soil already recorded and more than 35.000 homeless in the mid west floods. Army engineers at Chout»au Island. 81., join the battle against the rising waters. Above, a team of engineers transfer sandbags from army barges to highway patrol trucks to be rushed to critical iHiints along levee

Bids Received Here For Weidler Levee To Award Contracts On Court Approval Awarding of contracts for constructing the Fred Weidler levee in Wabash township Is expected to be made in a few days, following the receiving of bids at the offices of county clerk Clyde O. Troutner this morning. The awarding will be done by engineer Walter H Gillium and attorneys for the petitioners. Burl V. Whiteman of Portland and Severin H. Schurger. Decatur subject to the approval of Judge J- Fred Fntchte of the Adams circuit court Utw bidder on part one of the construction that of moving the dirt is the McCoy A Crabtree Engineering and Construction Co.. Marlon. The bid Is $10,347.35. Yost Construction Co.. In .. this city, is the only bidder on part two- that of constrm ting the new levee, pumphouse, pilings, etc. The bid $12,335.40. Other bidders on part one and the figure of ea< h General Dredging Co, Inc. Fort Wayne. $10,506.36: Yost Construction Co.. In<-. 10.544.100; Matt S( hwietermann. Coldwater. Ohio. $10,987.65: Howard Stewart. Brookville. $1 1,865. Cost of constructing the levee, which land owners say will protect • their lands from overflows of the Wabash river, will be divided (Turn T.. Pig'- !■ '■"> imn «) () Several Articles Stolen From Auto Stolen At Pine Lake Sunday Afternoon Sherirf Herman Bowman today continued his Investigation into the theft of several valuable articles from an auto parked near the Pine latke swimming pool, four miles west of Berne. Sunday afternoon. Wilbert Fullenkamp. route four. Portland, and Eugene Reinhard. Bryant, reported the theft of the articles to the sheriff shortly before 6 pm. Sunday Fullenkamp said his loss included a billfold with S2O. a cigarette lighter, a wrist watch valued at svj. a carton of cigarettes and four packs of gum. Reinhard said his billfold, containing sls. and a wrist watch, valued at S3O. were taken. All of the articles were In the locked glove compartment of the Fullenkamp auto. They were left there by the men who went in swimming at the lake. They said the theft occurred between 2 and 5 p m Sunday. The auto doors were unlocked but the glove compartment was locked and presumably had been pried open open with a screw driver or some zlmiiar instrument, they said.

ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ADAMS COUNTY

Decatur, Indiana, Monday, June 30, 1947

New Flasher Lights Put In Operation New flashers, replacTug the gates at the Adams street crossing of the Pennsylvania railroad, have been Installed and are in operation. The lights and stunda do are of the latest and most modern design. The railroad petitioned the city sometime ago for erection of the flashers, citing their advantages over crossing gates, and the petition was approved. o Plot To Overthrow French Government Police Inspector, Wealthy Count Held Paris. June 30.0—(UP)—A gendarmerie inspector and a French count were charged formally today with plotting to overthrow the fourth French Republic and set up a Nazi style dictatorship. Gen Henri Guillaudot. the police Inspector, and the wealthy count Andre De V’ulpian. president of a war veterans organization, faced the death penalty If convicted. Two others were held without speMflc dbarges. AH al|egedly were leaders of the rightist "black maquis" who were planning an armed march on Paris in accordance with a "blue plan" which Interior minister Edouard Depreux said was a "grave menace to the French Republic." Depreux said the “blue plan" involved a large-scale conspiracy and promised an inquiry "to the very end no matter who is compromised.” The Interior minister said premier Paul Ramadier's government had authorized him to investigate ! the plot "to the very end. no matI ter who might be compromised.” Surete Nationale officials announced that alleged leaders arrested in addition to Quillodot were Conte De Vulpian. arrested at his estate in Lamballe near Rennes. Georges L'Oustaneatt Ia» (Turn To Page 5, Column 7) -■I-■ -I I 11 • LATE BULLfTINS Chicago, June 3(B—(UP) — The nation's railroads notified their customers today that they will ask the interstate commerce commission for freight rate increases as high as 25 percent. Railroad officials said they would ask for freight rate Increases up to 25 percent in the east, and up to 15 percent in the west and south. Washington, June 30—(UP) A house armed services subcommittee today approved legislation authorizing veterans to cash their terminal leave pay bonda after Sept. 1. Under present law the bonds must be held for five years before they can be cashed. Men still in the service would be given the option under the proposed legislation of applying for cash or for bonds.

Pair Arrested For Traffic Violations Portland Man Fined On Speeding Charge Two arrests were reported and one man was fined in weekend traffic activities reported by city and county police. City chief Ed Miller reported the arrest of lx-o 8. Burk, 20, Ohio City. 0.. route two. who war apprehended on Thirteenth street about 12:30 o’clock Sunday morning by officers Roy Chilcote and Robert Hill. He is to be charged witli reck less driving and wav to be ar ralgnel In city court before Mayor John B. fttults late this afternoon. Uiwrence Harman, Portland, arrested earlier in the week by city police on a speeding charge, was fined $1 and costs, totalling sll, in city court late Saturday Sheriff Arrexta One John B. Hczlep. Angola, war arrested almut 9:15 p. tn. Sunday by sheriff Herman Bowman on Thirteenth atreet on a speeding count. The sheriff charged he was driving 55 miles per hour in the 30-mlle zone. He was fined $l and costs, totalling $7.10. in Ernest Stengel's justice of peace court at Berne. Chief Ed Miller lnv( stigate I a traffic accident altout 8:BI a. in today. The accident occurred as Walter Whlttenbarger of this city was driving east on JcfferTurn To Page 2. Column ’) o —— Suit Is Filed Here On Insurance Claim Maryland Corp. Is Named Defendant Weldon Zehr has filed suit in Adams circuit court for breach (f warranty and damages against an inaurance company, with which he averredly carried accident and sickness insurance. The United States Fidelity A Guaranty Cbrp.. Matylacl. is named defendant and Kenneth Runyon, of this city, i* listed as agent. The plaintiff charges that on October 4. 1944. through the local agent, he paid a semiannual premium of $63 for accident and sickness insurance and continued to make payments up to July 6, 1945. He charges under terms of the insurance he was to receive SSO per week for 52 weeks when ill and that he was sick from April 4, 1945 to July 27. 1946. Illa complaint alleges that he wax unable to notify the com pany of his illness because of his condition and that as soon as Ills wife learned he carried the in surance she gave the company notice In June. 1946. The plaintiff asks $3,000 His attorneys are DeVoas A Smith.

Blistering Message To, Congress Assails Bill And Real Estate Lobby

Begin Canvass For I New Cify Directory | Expect Three Weeks , To Complete Work Canvassing of the city in secur-• ing Information for the city and county directory to be compiled by the It L. Polk A Co. was sche lllled to be started in Decatur late this afternoon. Wendell Guldln. Fort Wayne, is in charge of the canvass, and with the aid of Ralph Thompson, of Colfax, will conduct the canvass in the residential section, while the latter will solicit the business section of the city for information. Approximately three weeks are expected to be required to com plete the canvass. Information to he secured will include the name of the house nolder, the name of his wife, occupation. employer's name, telephone number and whether or not he is a home owner. Each residence and business house w'ill be conta< ted an I the information check'-d against each list. All clubs and organizations with regular meeting places will also be contacted. Included in the directory will Im» lists of governmental offices and other such information, alphabetical lists of residents, of the city, an advertising section, numerical telephone list, names of rural residents, a street guide section, classified business section and others. The directory Is expected to be published within two or three months after the information is secured. Chamber of Commerce officials today ask<-d for the cooperation of the citizenry in compiling the information -o — Delay Receipl 01 Bids For Church No Complete Bids Received Saturday Receiving of blds for construction of the new I’nlon Chapel Evan gellcal Vnited Brethren church has been continued to July 12. It was announced today The blds were originally scheduled to be received last Saturday afternoon No complete blds were offered however, according to officials of the church, and several prospective bidders declared that they did not have sufficient time to pre pare their proposals. A meeting of the church trustees, building committee members and other leaders, was held later in the day Saturday and It was decided to set 2 pm. Saturday. July 12. as the day for receiving proposals The congregation of the church is planning a new structure, cost ing about 130.000. to replace the one which was destroyed by fire last December. o —— Two Fort Wayne Men Taken By Death Sunday Death claimed two Fort Wayne men over the weekend, both well known In this city. Edward H. ' Merritt. 84. organizer of Mizpah 1 Temple. Ancient Arabic Order of 1 Nobles of Mystic Shrine, died Sun day at his home Funeral services will l»e held Tuesday afternoon. Albert H Keller, a member of the Fort Wayne t»oard of public safety i for the past 12 years, also died 1 Sunday afternoon. Mr. Keller, a salesman for the Perfection Bis- ’ cult company, visited Decatur often and was well known among the i local grocery proprietors. His funeral will be held Wednesday.

Nation's Coal Mines Released By Government Operation Returned To Private Owners; Situation Is Grave Washington. June 30 —H’Pt j The government, which seized I the nation's soft coal mines 13 months ago during an industry < rippling strike, turned them back to private owners today during a peritsl as potentially grave. About 400,000 memliers of HuVnited Mine Workers (AFLt union are on a 10-day vacation. Some 250,000 of the miners walked out several days before the vacation began The miners may not return to the pits If a new contract is not signed by the time the vacation ends July 8. The threat of a coal shortage already has caused layoffs in other industries. Temporary dis missals are mounting in the xteel industry At least 20.000 mill workers were reported laid off It was just such n situation which cause! the government to step in May 21. 1946, and take over 2.5im soft coal mines under the Smith-Connally act. A I'MW strike had been underway for 59 days. But the Smith-Connally act ex pires tonight, ami witli it. the government authority to opciati' the mines. Secretary of Interior J. A Krug, who directed government operation of tin- mines, sent a brief order to the operating man agers of tlie mines. It was effec live at noon (EDT.) It directed them to post this notice: 'Notice: Government possession and control of the coal mines of this mining company have been terminated J»y order of the secretary of interior ” There were some hopeful signs, however, that an agree ment may be reached between John L. Lewis an I the private owners before the end of th< (Turn T.i Page 2. t'otumn — Solomon P. Bowsher Dies Sunday Night Funeral Services To Be Wednesday Solomon P. Bowsher. 61. resident of Decatur for 25 years, died at 113'1 o’clock Sunday night at the Adams county memorial hospital after a three years illness of complications His condlton had boon serious for the last 10 days. lie was born in I'pper Sandusky. O. March 19, 18S«. a son of A. Il and Mary Walkins-Bowsher. He was an inspector at the Decatur works of the General Electric company from 1926 until illness forced his retirement three years ago He was a member of the Decatur , Church of the Nazarene Surviving are the wife. Fern: two daughters. Mrs. Ida McClain ’ of Toledo. O. and Mrs Romaine Miller of Cleveland. <».: two sis ters, Mrs Margaret Shroß of t'pf per Sandusky. O. and Mrs Minnie Dawson of Toledo, 0., and four ! grandchildren. Three brothers pre ceded him in death Funeral services will be held at . 2 pin. Wednesday at the Church I of the Nazarene, with the Rev , J. T. Trueax officiating. Burial . will be in the Decatur cemetery . The body may be viewed at the > Glllig A Doan funeral hot?*’ after - 7:30 o'clock this evening until time of the services.

Price Four Cents

Terms New Rent Law Unsatisfactory And Calls For Thorough Probe For Lobby Washington. June 30— <l’l*1 — president Truman today algne'l the rent control extension bill permitting 'voluntary'' rent In creases up to 15 prreent. But he Issued a scorching denunciation of the measure and the ' real estate lobby.’’ Mr. Truman. In a blistering 2500-word message to congress: 1— Labeletl the new rent law 'most unsatisfactory.” 2— I'rged congress to adopt a six point legislative program for housing 3— Called for a full congressional investigation of the reai estate lobby which he branded "clearly subversive'* and guilty of "a ruthless desn-gard of pub lie welfare." Mr. Truman accused the lobby of ((insistently seeking to weak «n rent control and of being ‘openly proud of their success in blocking a comprehensive housing program." He said tin- bill he signed into law ’lrreparably weakenel" fedetal rent control, but that he had t(i choice because rent controls otherwise would have ended at midnight tonight. .1 have chosen the lesser of two evils,'' he said in a no sag' to congress announcing his ac tion. He said the cost of living was already too high without the additional burden of increased rents. ‘We must get prices down, not devise means of getting the price of shelter Up.” he sai l. .Mr. Truman also criticized 'lie bill for Weakening protection against eviction. He said the measure would n move rent con trol in many eases where It itill badly needed. The new law is effective tomorrow I' provides: 1 Rent controls go off newly built. n< wly-rented and remodeled dwelling, and hotel accommodations. 2. Individual landlords and tenants may sign "voluntary'' lure. Im nts raising rents up to 15 percent in return for a lea-'-extending through Dec. 31. 194* 3. Sp'iial evlctioji safeguards set up by OPA are discarded, and eviction rases go hack under state laws In most cases, this means landlords will be aide to evict tenants on I’d' days'—lnstead of six months’—notice. The new law cuts off the government’s few remaining building controls, except for curbs on construction of theaters, bowling alleys, and other amusement pro jccts. Housing expediter Frank Creedon said this wi'l open the door to upwards of |2.<«M>.omt.(M»o in non-resldential construction. Creedon gels the job of admin istering rent control throungh Feb. 29. 1948 But the new law directs him to set up volunteer rent boards to do the main job of control. Boards ate authorized to recommend area decontrol, area wide rent imvease*. or special "hardship ’ -nt Increases for landlords. President Truman had ased for a one-year renewal of "effective” rent and eviction controls , to June 30. 1948. Mr Truman said that "for millions of families." the new law ■will result in substantial increases In rents which until nowhave been held at reasonable levels.” With federal rent control “irreparably weakened. Mr. Truman appealed to the governors of the states to exert all possible effort for the protection of tenants from hardship, qviction or < xploitatlon. After expressing "(Iwp concern' over "this most unsatisfactory law." Mr. Truman again urged the congress to adopt a six-point legislative program for (Turn To Page 5, Column 6)